“Well, if anybody on this team, if they go out on a limb and make a statement, we have to back him up 110 percent, every single play.” Newton said Monday on “NFL AM.” “We’re out here trying to sharpen plays and work on technique. And we’re just going to try to do our part. Each day and each play at a time.”

Newton said he had no idea Kalil planned on making his audacious prediction, but he believes the confidence is important for an up-and-coming team.

“We just found out when the world found out,” Newton said. “But Kalil is a veteran in this league and has been doing his part for years and years. For him to go out on limb and say that, that means he has unbelievable trust in us, and I think that’s building camaraderie around here and we’re going to need it as the Carolina Panthers.”

The Panthers are looking to make the leap from a 6-10 2011 season to Super Bowl champion, joining the 1999 St. Louis Rams as teams who made giant improvement in one season. The Rams were 4-12 in 1998.

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